Local, Ashleigh Brilliant, writes a letter asking how to interpret this confusing “international” sign.. The responses from the community are damn clever, but I know you can come up with more!
These replies get my vote so far:
Do not send handicapped or elderly people out to mail your letters. Mail them yourself.
*“The Ascent of Man” and “eternal youth” are encoded in this sequence, starting with Adam sitting in a wheel chair, then standing with a divining rod, then heading upwards into space. The portals that remain have to do with modes of communication, recommending horizontal rather than vertical networking. *
What I find most strange about that sign is that exact same pictogram (the window opening outward) is shown with and without an “X” over it. To me that’s a very poor way to convey “the window opens out, not up.”
I agree with gigi’s answer, but do think it’s a horribly confusing sign that took me a while to figure out. The blue part indicating handicapped access is clear enough, but the yellow bit is an ambiguous mess.
gigi, by doubting the seriousness of the OP’s question are you saying that you think the sign is unmistakably clear?
Someone who left comments on that site said that it meant that the above window was not an emergency exit, but the one to the right was. Since the questioner said it was under every other window on the bus, this makes sense.
One guess is that the sign says that handicapped people shouldn’t use that window as an emergency exit, but should instead go to the right. However, that interpretation is questionable. It’s much more likely that it means, “Wheelchairs and old people shouldn’t use cellophane in this seat because it will bring the bus to a halt with great excitement, causing them to slide forward. Once the sliding is finished, they may try again.”
It is a fundamentalist pictographic interpretation of Zechariah 10:12 [I will strengthen them in the LORD and in his name they will walk," declares the LORD.] with a little anti-muslim sentiment thrown in. The folded things are those plastic name tags with the little cards inside. Here is a full explanation:
PANEL 1: "The power of god can heal you. You will no longer be bound to that wheelchair (guy in wheelchair), you will WALK! (with a cane. Local restrictions apply. Not available in Vermont)
Panel 2 : Raise up (red arrow) the nametag of God (Christianity here symbolized by the red cross) and glorify it (exclamation mark). Push away (green arrow symbolizes both pushing and Islam) the nametag of Mohammed and Allah.
Handicapped and old people seats. Windows don’t slide up they push out. They may be an emergency exit only window which is closed at all other times. That I don’t know without being on the bus.
“If a red arrow mysteriously hovers before your face, DO NOT OPEN THE WINDOW! If a green arrow mysteriously hovers before your face, feel free to open up.”
The one without the X has an exclamation mark pointing to it. I think the combination means “don’t open the window unless it’s an emergency.”
The handicap signs refer to the seat below, not the window above. I think the upward arrow is supposed to mean “the signs in this yellow box refer to the window above.”
If you are in a wheelchair, then stand up and walk, look up and praise God but DON’T kill yourself with attached razor blade. If you are panicking however, kill yourself.
The handicap and Elderly must NOT stand to read a newspaper at these seats. The bus will stop rapidly in this case. You must go right to read newspapers.
